Live updates of developments after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, selected by Reuters.com editors and readers. To see updates from Reuters only, click "Options" and turn off comments.

A car is perched on a metal post after being tossed by a tsunami after an earthquake in Sendai, northeastern Japan March 12, 2011. REUTERS/Kyodo

発信者 Reuters_TonyTharakan3/12/2011 6:39:45 AM

If the reactors can be or have been stabilized, next step is to make sure cooling is restored to water in the uncontained spent-fuel pools, which can otherwise boil dry in about a day, overheat, and burn. Fortunately there are probably ways to improvise cooling if necessary...but there's a lot of gigacuries in those pools.

発信者 another expert3/12/2011 6:42:26 AM

Jiji- Fuel Fods Exposed to Air at Fukushima N-Reactor

発信者 Andrew3/12/2011 6:44:56 AM

Naoto Sekimura, a professor at the University of Tokyo, says "No Chernobyl is possible at a light water reactor. Loss of coolant means a temperature rise, but it also will stop the reaction”

発信者 Reuters_TonyTharakan3/12/2011 6:48:58 AM

The least of the worries should be the spent fuel pool. Get the core under control. If the pool has lost inventory, fill it with borated water. But keep that core cool.

発信者 RD3/12/2011 6:49:13 AM

Does anyone know why the Reactor Pressure Vessel could not be depressurized? And why temp power has not been restored?

発信者 Sponge Bob Nuclear Pants3/12/2011 6:53:55 AM

@Andrew Even if fuel rods are exposed, it does not mean they would start melting right away," said Tomoko Murakami, leader of the nuclear energy group at Japan's Institute of Energy Economics.

"Even if fuel rods melt and the pressure inside the reactor builds up, radiation would not leak as long as the reactor container functions well."

TEPCO confirmed that water levels were falling but it was working to avert any exposure of the nuclear fuel rods.

"There is a falling trend (in water levels) but we have not confirmed an exposure of nuclear fuel rods," a TEPCO spokesman said

発信者 Mannapete3/12/2011 6:54:09 AM

The falling water levels mentioned are a result of the steam/gas venting operations. Water levels will be restored once charging pumps power supplies are restored.

発信者 Delayed Neutron3/12/2011 6:56:03 AM

An aerial view of the earthquake and tsunami damage at the coastal town of Minamisoma March 12, 2011. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

発信者 Reuters_TonyTharakan3/12/2011 6:57:01 AM

Sponge Bob, temporary power has reportedly been restored but some other gear isn't working right. They're relieving pressure as they can; some reports indicate this worked, but details remain unclear. TEPCO (an ex-client of mine) to the contrary, it's hard not to interpret cesium release as clearly indicating some fuel exposure/damage.

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency says cesium and radioactive iodine, have been detected near the Number One reactor at the Fukushima Number One nuclear power station.

発信者 ukgrad893/12/2011 7:26:20 AM

@regular guy No, a reactor does not blow up like a nuclear bomb, but if the containment vessel is breached then you have contamination. If the vessel holds, then there is a big mess to deal with later but no release.

発信者 Jim3/12/2011 10:36:01 AM

From what I'm seeing... NOBODY has any idea how bad this is or could become except for those currently working on the reactor.

発信者 Leedyludwig3/12/2011 10:36:09 AM

However, if they cannot continue to restore cooling of the plant, it could become a very dangerous situation to those living in close range of the plant, and the fallout would only spread.If the reactor does indeed melt down, the results could be similar – if not worse – than that of Chernobyl.

発信者 RNB_0073/12/2011 10:37:06 AM

Can we stop with the speculations and await factual claims to surface? This Live Coverage is starting to sound like a physics class.

発信者 MIke3/12/2011 10:37:39 AM

Even after struck with such a massive disaster, The Japanese Administration's timely effort prevented the death toll to rise dramatically. We know what happened in Gujarat when 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck. At least this time let our leaders and Administration study and practice a good system to rescue people when such kind of calamity happens.

発信者 Sudhir3/12/2011 10:37:50 AM

The whole issue is: who builds nuclear reactors on a fault line prone to Earthquake and Tsunami's, especially when the whole world can be affected by wind currents across the Pacific! And we as humanity let our Governments do it!

Tokyo's usually bustling central districts were deserted on Saturday, and the few in bars and restaurants were glued to television coverage of the disaster. uk.reuters.com

発信者 Aviva West3/12/2011 5:53:55 PM

Evacuees hold blankets as they stand in a line to enter a temporary shelter after radiation leaked from a Fukushima nuclear reactor in Koriyama, Japan, March 12, 2011. REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak

発信者 Aviva West3/12/2011 6:05:07 PM

Is it possible for the radioactive material to be carried across the ocean into the united states?

発信者 Dennis Meyers3/12/2011 6:06:02 PM

@Dennis Meyers If the reactor totally breaks down and explodes - yes. It seems fairly unlikely with the info we have now.

発信者 pjasnos3/12/2011 6:09:16 PM

@Dennis Meyers and also, China, eastern Russia and possibly Australia would be in a lot more trouble if that happens

発信者 pjasnos3/12/2011 6:19:52 PM

Naoto Sekimura, a professor at Tokyo University, told NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster, that “only a small portion of the fuel has been melted. But the plant is shut down already, and being cooled down. Most of the fuel is contained in the plant case, so I would like to ask people to be calm.”

@Reuters : thank u for always keeping us updated..this helps a lot.. can I ask? How is the current situation in Tokyo? Are the people evacuating now? I heard some people still doing their job normally in Tokyo, is that true? And how about the situation in Kyoto? Any damages? Because I haven't heard any news about Kyoto so far. thanks

発信者 rossa3/12/2011 6:39:17 PM

@pjasnos A nuclear reactor doesn't have the ability to 'explode'. What you may mean is a steam explosion, but the actual thing cannot explode at all.

発信者 HazardYo3/12/2011 6:39:40 PM

@rossa Reuters' correspondents in Tokyo are reporting that the city's streets are deserted. www.reuters.com

発信者 Aviva West3/12/2011 6:44:21 PM

how is the plant being cooled when the cooling mechanisms have failed ?

発信者 ahi3/12/2011 6:44:35 PM

The World Health Organization says the public health risk from Japan's radiation risk appears to be low. www.reuters.com

発信者 Sharon Ho3/12/2011 6:49:58 PM

eloramalama.wordpress.com first load of photos from otsuchi, iwate. there is nothing left and numerous dead bodies amongs the rubbles

発信者 crab3/12/2011 6:57:59 PM

Wait, the TEPCO release states that a crane operator died? "The operator trapped in the crane operating console of the exhaust stack was transferred to the ground at 5:13PM and confirmed the death at 5:17PM." You would think that a major energy company could hire better translators - but if true feel sorry for the guy and his family.

発信者 HandsomeMan3/12/2011 6:58:10 PM

Is wind staying constant at a south-to-north direction?

発信者 Kio3/12/2011 6:58:13 PM

@HazardYo Yes, I meant the colloquial understanding of the term.

発信者 pjasnos3/12/2011 6:58:17 PM

Are some countries delaying their aid responses due to the possibility of more problems at the nuclear plants?

発信者 Jon3/12/2011 6:58:54 PM

@ahi Obviously they got some pumping system going with which they are flooding the reactor with sea water and boric acid trying to cool the reactor down.

発信者 Holger3/12/2011 6:58:58 PM

Residents, evacuated from their homes, wait in a military truck to move to a temporary shelter after radiation leaked from an earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daini nuclear reactor, in Koriyama, northeastern Japan March 13, 2011. REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak